REFLECTIONS:SNOITCELFER
by Vertigo Kitsune
Summary: Things repeat, a reflection, continuation, an endless cycle that cannot be denied by fate.   update: continuing this story. Dedicated to Avello and Icegirljenni .
1. Reflections

**REFLECTIONS: SNOITCELFER**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha in any way shape or form. Enjoy.**

_**"In the end, only great men? make rash decisions. I started out as not so great of a man. But a wretched beast. I know that I am not going where the holy men go."**_

Inukimi sat among her throne, the wet silk of her hair spilled over her shoulders and her face in her hand. The corner of her eyes lay wet, softened by tears. "Great lady mother?"

"Yes, small yokai?"

"Jaken my lady."

"Nevermind it. What do you have to tell me?"

"Lord Sesshomaru sama has left the castle."

"So he went."

There was a silence. Her painted claws dug into the handles seated at her throne, she seemed at war with her thoughts, but held an obligation to her late and honorable husband. Very well. "Little yokai, await my return." The bands of hair combs and trinkets snapped apart and the wildness of her white hair sprawled along the darkness of night, a blanket of silver silk and the roaring of a great dog descended down from the great castle in the clouds.

_Drip._

_Drip._

_Drip._

Blood fell freely now. It no longer clotted from the open arm wound. Holding up the offended limb, it took every ounce of his youki to ensure it would seal. Once again. He could no longer replenish his reserves of ki to stave off another dire infliction. Sesshomaru reflected in silence that this was the best he could do for now. His castle of flame and simple servants strewn everywhere in blood. Moments ago he had made it to the steps of his o-shiro to find that the castle guards simply were not where they should be. The familiar and safe feeling of his precious ones left to the protection of strong halberds and mighty spears. No, what he had returned to were their strewn dead bodies and those clashing, human and demon pitted to one another. And the scent of rejection and sorrow. The great dog lord had bolted the steps of his castle, only to find the interiors aflame. Rice paneled walls caked in blood and screams and the assaulted smell of gun flecks of flame scaled the shorn half of the demon lord's arm. Wind from a torn shoji screen howled, wildly snapping at the folded cuffs of sashinuki hakama, legs bent under the heavy Do and Kusazuri armors at the daiyokai's hips. The long white speel of mokomoko whipped from the flares of hot embers roiling in the breeze. Blood left an acidic taste in the back of his mouth.

"Lord Sesshomaru sama." A man's deep baritone groaned its frustration, soon to ascend the steps before them.

He was coming. Centuries of old wood creaked beneath the weight of the one soon come to greet them. Sesshomaru could bare the loss of castle and home; servants were a minor concern, they could fend themselves or the guards to do it.

But.

He could not. No, would not afford to lose her.

"Rin," Bakusaiga held at the defense, a reposed stance kept his footing spared evenly. The solidness of his back showed he did not bow to pressure through battle. The silver of his hair glowed to the reddened-gold tinge of the firelight thrown in chaos. "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru sama?" Even in the fiery din of the birthing chambers, swathed head to foot, her small dainty hands clinging…no, held the long soft mokomoko over her brow. Soft silky strands of black hair clung to her back and shoulders. In the stuffy, smokey room spewed more poison gases. "He plans to suffocates us in this chamber. Take the pups and head for the stairwells, this Sesshomaru shall stall them." Rin tightened the swathed bundle of clothe wrapped around her hips and her front. "But my dearest," she bounced the newly birthed children; twins to lessen their co-mingled tears. But their crying had yet to cease, raising both the unease of both parents. Thump. Thump. Thump. "What of you? The palace guards will be here soon, there is no need to separate myself from you-"

"Sesshomaru sama." Wild his hair was, whippets of brown flew angrily amid the release of a tied ponytail. Deep jade green was soaked to the frays with caked blood. An audible clink of chain fell and coiled at the very last boot that ascended the final step. Dressed in dark black Taijiya fuku, Kohaku stood amidst the flames like a tortured demon to do his dirty work. "It's not fair. Everything isn't fair. I deserved her more than you. I suffered, more than you. I longed more than you." tracing sparks of the dragged armored sickle cut along the fine wood paneled walls.

"Kohaku. Ka?"

Smoke casted an eerily glow along the painted paneled walls depicting lion ogres and wild beasts frolicking aside a ghost parade.

Lord Sesshomaru narrowed the tightness of his golden eyes. The gaul the boy had, this upstart pup dare to impued on his graciousness. His kindness? After all that he, lord Sesshomaru had given the boy, how dare he.

"Rin. Go. Get away as far and as fast as you can carry."

"But-"

**"GO."**

"Y-yes."

Even in those spare moments she would have to flee, there would be no way for her to make it out fast enough. Not in these itsutsu-ginu ko-uchiki, the long divided naga bakama skirt would not allow her to make haste. She knew this, but did not argue. "Yes my lord husband." Rin turned one last look to the demon slayer. Or was once the boy-the man she had known. Her legs turned to flee her when the sharp sickle blade whisked by her. The sound of metal clashing on metal, where she staggered aside and tossed the back of unkempt black hair, Sesshomaru's tensed expression was bent with sword bowed underhand. The chains of the sickle wrapped around Bakusaiga's hilt. "Lord Sesshomaru sama, you dare protect?" Kohaku stepped over and kicked the body of a dead demon, his booted toe rooted into the now-dead guard's dislocated jaw.

"Kuromaru and Kagura."

"What?"

"The infants' names. That will be their names, for I lord Sesshomaru have decreed it so. They are the offspring of my great daiyokai blood, the great lord Sesshomaru sama."

His brows bunched up at first, and his heart grew blacker still. Even with the late lady Kikyo's purification of the jewel shard he once relied on with his life, it did nothing to dispel the unnatural calm blackness of his soul. "May the kami forgive you Rin dono, for bringing into the world bastard children fathered by a great and terrible demon." In that instance the two men rushed each other, a clash of their blades in moments only shown as seconds of hot white. Rin turned quickly, kneeling to unfasten the length of fabric and cradling the handsome newly born babes to her breasts. One last look as the two men she had known and grown to care for both deeply and with deep sentiments, traded blows in their own equal fierceness.

Rin hurried down the steps, shushing her children. "My lady! this ways!" a tall guardsman motioned his arm, though bleeding and he too, wounded; managed. They both descended the steps and rounded the corners. Feet pitter pattering wildly in escape.

"She was the only chance I had had at happiness, Sesshomaru sama! And you so selfishly took her innocent trust and corrupted her heart, I should have never followed you! I should have never trusted you!"

"You are a weak man to suggest as such. I do not need to explain the irrelevance of your accusations, Kohaku."

"Devil beast!"

"This Sesshomaru owes you nothing," a blast of green flare snaked up and arched along the walls, only to be deflected by the hooked scythe. Sesshomaru took a defensive stance, his footing added space between them. "I see. Toutousai forged you a demon's blade? How unfortunate it is to be wielded by someone as weak willed as you." Kohaku extracted the chain from the door and rushed the demon, their blades locked once more, and their tension grew.

"You do not deserve her?

"I protect what is mine."

_"Ah, you came. Are you disappointed that I was not Naraku?"_

_"I knew it was you."_

_"Are you going now?"_

_"Yes, this is enough."_

_"I, Sesshomaru will decide if she had died in vain."_

_"Sesshomaru. Do you have someone, to protect?"_

_"Why, Tenseiga?"_

_"I should have left her in a human village."_

_"Do you have something to protect?"_

_"Protect?"_

_"Rin, I will not allow you to go there."_

_"She cannot be saved?"_

_"Rin."_

_"Rin!"_

_"I can't save her?"_

_"I let you die for this thing."_

_"Human hearts are weak. The fear, hatred and despair can easily be seen in their heart. They are the ones who defiled their heart. They are unpure and that is the truth."_

_"There was no place for me, so I had to make one for myself, and then I realized, I had a place, but I was the only one in it. I didn't know any other way to live."_

_"I'm a half-demon, more egotistical and greedy than any other living creature - that's what human beings are, right?...But with human blood flowing through my veins, I never give up! Don't you understand? When you have someone to protect, your power increases multifold!"_

_"Life is finite. It is not something that you can save as many times as you like at your convenience. Sesshomaru, it's something you have to learn, that when your heart wishes to save someone dear to you, it must at the same time feel sadness and fear of losing him or her. Tenseiga is a healing sword; even when used as a weapon, you must understand the weight of lives and carry a compassionate heart when dispatching your enemy..."_

_"Nothing could ever be worth, the cost of Rin's life."_

_"Tenseiga can only save a person, once."_

_you must understand the weight of lives and carry a compassionate heart when dispatching your enemy..._

_**Kohaku. I shall show you mercy.**_

**"HN!"**

The sword swing was slow, almost like the faint falling of leaves in the wind. Or the silent fall of winter snow. Rin came to a stop, her feet crushing under the winter snow. A soft peek of budding violet, a purple flower pressing through the snow, it's purple-sigh petals fluttered gently and finally departed on the winds. "Kohaku dono?

**"Kohaku."**

"Kch-eh? AGH! Sesshomaru,,,sama!" his mouth lay open to bare the white teeth stained by blood. His nostrils expelling blood flow unstaunched.

"Learn to fear me. Learn to prostrate yourself before your great and terrible lord. Know...your place."

"Sesshomaru sama…bastard. Kah!" A swift blow cut the man down. Spewing up the heavy tumult of blood, his legs sagged weighted beneath him, his back gave; he fell. Sesshomaru tucked away Bakusaiga and gripped Tenseiga.

Sesshomaru. Did you think you to be a god?

"Ridiculious. I, Sesshomaru, do not allow others to die for futile reasons." Tenseiga pulsed. Lips firmed into a thin, concentrated line. Those molten gold eyes reflected by fire. "Tenseiga, carry out my will. I have no need for meaningless death." The white iron the fang gleamed, and blue light both heavenly and soft flooded at the demon lord's fingertips. Ah, this felt...nice.

_Tenseiga pulsed. Once. Twice. Three times._

"Hoooo? Sesshomaru, you purified and resurrected one hundred souls in one swing, ka? I suppose I shall investigate." Toutousai mounted Mo-mo and urged the bull into the night's sky. A groan issued from the three eyed bull as they traveled over misty clouds.

"Rin dono."

"Yes?" the girl turned and stared. There in the dark forest stood a figure, painted lips and fine sheen of moonlit hair. "I remember doing this once before. Exactly two hundred and fifty years before for the lady Izayoi. Ah, she was such a well mannered girl, come." Inukimi slowly stepped out into the light, her splendid robes glowed purple and blue amidst the foggy night. She was ever expanding, her yoke limitless, and she forever flowing glided into the full moon's night with Rin settled on her ever flowing robes.

"Great and honorable mother?"

"Yes child?"

"Will lord Sesshomaru sama return to us?"

"...we should hope so, child. We should hope so."


	2. Ainu

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha in any ways shape or form. This is for Icegirljenni and Avello, who have asked me to continue to explore this one shot. **

**Continuing from Reflections: Snoitcelfer.**

"S-s-Sesshomaru sama," coughing into wakefulness, Kohaku groaned his pain. Stitching's were banded too tight for him to breath, but they were a necessity, or his wounds would not heal. The great dog lord stood over him, brows lowered, and the lightness of his booted feet evened out the snow-wet grass. "I am leaving you here to fend for your own life, do not follow me if you wish to live." Turning upon a heel, Sesshomaru evened the distance between them, the crunch of wet grass blades smoothed under his feet.

Kohaku stared dumb founded.

'_Why? Why did he save me? How, how did he save me.'_

"Though you were killed and resurrected, it was done through by Naraku's distasteful means. I merely resurrected you with Tenseiga. You should thank the priestess for that." Saying nothing more, Sesshomaru walked past the demon slayer to an already posted camp. The living he had bought back from the netherworld awoke to the blaze of what seemed a summer sun, but the cool briskness of winter bit at their nakedness. The servants of his house all adorned by rags from the violent compromise of his castle, there was much to be done. Much to repair.

Those still with life and vigor still in them went to work burying those Tenseiga could not bring back. The graves were indeed very few. Most held looks of confusion and touched at wounds that no longer lay there.

"Sesshomaru sama!"

"Jaken?" he had not expected him to be alive, but amongst some of the dead. Also the rumbling roar of Ah-Un bellowed behind the misty smoke that rolled over the rubble and debris. How the hell the kappa had made it safety from the midnight's skirmish intrigued him. "Rin is well and safe then?" lifted chin and lazed expression spoke volumes, though he would never outwardly show he was glad as ever that the imp was for once reliable.

"Aye me lord, I sent word to the great lady mother. Though I had no idea-W-wh-WHAT?" Jaken's bulbous eyes went one size too big for his head as he viciously swung the staff of two heads at the equally confused and dazed Kohaku. "You impudent, selfish brat!" The old man's wooden head slapped the young demon slayer across the mouth and left the man a new bruise to worry about. "How dare you attack our great lord after all he has done for you? And you dare live! We should have your head for high treason-I!-"

"JAKEN."

"Y-y-yes me lord…?"

"We are leaving, Kohaku is no longer worth the air that we breathe."

"Serves you right."

Both imp vassal and lord turned away, leaving Kohaku-Demon slayer, brother of Sango and the good monk, Attendant of the late Lady Kikyo, Head of the demon slayer's village, and charge of lady Rin of the West-to his misery.

Weeks upon weeks upon weeks. Guarded by the great lady mother, Rin and the guard whom helped her flee the castle walked aside her to the outskirts of a clearly civil human village. In fact, it honestly didn't seem to have the look of village to be associated with it at all, but a small town if you will. And that was putting it most kindly.

The roads were paved by hard tracks made by wagons pulled from oxen, left pulled from the many hardy travelers come in and out with their wares. Huts both big and small encompassed as far as her eyes looked out, with large rice ponds green as green could get. They bordered one over the other and made small riverbanks near enormously fenced fish reserves waiting for the nets to be caste. Far off were eight connected castles, their terraces were heavily laden with the last of summer's flowers.

It seemed all—almost too nice.

"It has changed a lot since this one has come here last." The great lady mother placed her hands before her and frowned somewhat mildly. "Ah, if only this old woman's son was a bit more responsible, ne? I am far too kind." She dramatically wiped at her eyes and suppressed an exasperated and seemingly untroubled smile. Rin herself could only titter lightly beyond the raise of her sleeve.

Her guard wrinkled up his brow and stared the great mother's way: '_I__hardly__think__she__is__responsible__herself,__coming__at__such__a__last__minute__moment!__'_

"Great lady, are you sure it is safe to leave Rin sama here?"

"Oooooh~? Hyoga-Ji do you have little faith in my judgment?"

"Not at all." _'__Though__I__hardly__think__you__ever__looked__at__this__in__hindsight!__'_

"Are you thinking something?"

"Not at all."

"Then what good are you, baka."

For the tenth time that evening, Rin laughed at the brief exchange between servant and her mother in law.

Inukimi would ask a question and Hyoga-Ji would mildly reply, followed by a tired "idiot" or "useless boy," in where Hyoga would hold a very reserved and thoughtful expression; tensed by the moment. Inukimi would playfully then ask if he held anything to add, where he would comment "not at all," and from there it became another banter of conversation.

Rin had never known demons to be so talkative.

While the demoness seemed flighty at best, even nonplussed to their current plight, she found Hyoga Ji almost too reserved in his opinions, or maybe he did not want to offend.

The very tall and lanky fox demon was far too skinny to be called a guard, his eyes far too slanted almost to a close, and black lines to imitate whiskers; three along each cheek. His armor reminded her very much of the Northern demon wolf tribe, the simple pauldron around both shoulders, gave him a very sore-thumb and almost nomadic appearance…his style of dress was definitely not of mainland influence.

Which bought Rin to a very random subject.

"Um, Hyoga-Ji dono…by chance, where is it from that you hail? You don't seem to dress like the rest of Lord Sesshomaru sama's guard." Slightly her cheeks were colored by a tinge of red, embarrassed to bring to light such an informal and frankly-pointed question.

"Indeed, I would like to know too. Sesshomaru keeps such strange company in his ranks." Inukimi raised the many tiers of blue and white sleeves along her lips, eyes narrowed to Rin with a conspirative whisper. The trio walked along under the late blooms of almond trees. Making conversation as they made distance towards the human village ahead.

He did not wear a kimono, but in fact wore a very simple set of robes. Orange cream and eggshell white. He claimed it as "traditional dress" of many Ainu, spun from the inner bark of an elm tree. Straight sleeves came down to his elbows, which was folded around the body, and tied with a band about the waist. The sleeves ended at the wrist or forearm and the length generally was to the calves. But beneath that it would seem he also wore an undergarment of Japanese cloth.

Around his neck was a "tamasay" necklace. And rounded from his pointed ears wore a strange headband around his head that he said was called an "matanpushi," and that his robes were called "attusi" or "attush." An apron came around his hips supporting the simple guards for leggings at his hips. He had only what he called was an "emush" a sword of his native countrymen, carried and secured by an "emush at" strap at his shoulders.

It was very comical to watch the two women try to say the words in japanese between them.

One thing he did share that was common of his demonic brethren, was the fox like feet and the thick bushy tail.

Though with very boring mouse brown hair with it's almost silvery blonde streaks. His neck tattooed with simple downward lines. Along the hard and dusty panels of high cheekbones were purely chalked white markings, eyelids lined by the same color. Even still stranger was his sandy, heat-induced complexion.

"I am Ainu, from Hokkaido."

"Huh?"

"Commoner Mongol…baka"

"**Great honorable mother!"**

"It is only _true,_ daughter of mine. Common as dust, oh Sesshomaru you keep such displeasing company! Why did I ever not pick your company guard for you? Once again you disapprove of your mother's g-g-good intentions!" She sobbed. Hyoga-Ji went almost comically rueful at the great lady's complete dismissal of his lineage. Well, that and her overly dramatic display. If he had no idea that this was his great lord's honorable mother, he may have never considered.

'_She__was__overly__eccentric__to__the__point__of__being__into__theatrics.__'_

"Great lady mother, most of Lord Sesshomaru sama's guard **are** from the mainland…and of _**Chinese**_ influence." he tried to offer in very politely, though Rin offered a nervously uncomfortable smile; the single human wedged between them.

"Doesn't change the fact, baka."

"Hyoga-Ji, my lady." _'__This__old__woman__is__impossible!__'_

"Ah! We are here." She cut him off briskly and the fox offered a sigh.

**Author's note:**

Hyoga Ji was inspired by Ainu people who were the original people of japan. Hyoga is the guard that led Rin to safety in the beginning of our story, he'll show up more later.

Really love Inukimi, I think she is very misunderstood as a character and she is indeed very wise though very nonchalant about Sesshomaru's welfare.

However, it does not seem that she had hated Izayoi from her encounter in the anime. She seems to have a very playful and somewhat grounded woman and if I had any speculations about her, I would say that the Tenseiga Touga (the Inu no Taisho) had forged and its creation, was partly responsible on her part as seeing in episode 9 of final act Sesshomaru went to see her.

Why else would she know so much about it. I intend to explore that theory as well as the meidou stone in the next chapter.


	3. Caretaking

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha in any ways shape or form.

x

x

**CARETAKING**

The crows cawed over the landscape; their wails almost sounded pleading. Much too much filled of trouble, their black wings effecting. Caw, caw, caw. Kohaku had laid in the sprawl of the wilds, uncomfortable, sulking, and alone. "Sesshomaru sama," worrying at the small of his bottom. Adam's apple grew stuck in his throat with each swallow for gasping air in the chilly breeze of autumn, and only the wet petrichor smell of soil and loamy earth pressed into the backs of his nostrils. Upon midday as he lie with merely the wounds to keep his mind and memories comfort, came the steady march of black horses, turning over tilled earth, their hoof beats roared into view. Shod with iron horse shoes they thundered over the rocky turfs and turned up grass: "Clear the path, peons! Clear the way for us!" Roadside travelers scurried with the bushels in rice, spilling clear white healthy grains in the dirt for the scavengers to feed on later. A stiffly dressed soldier with mustache and hair plume drew back the reins on his sturdy, thick bulging necked, horse before coming to a dead man before the road. Thinly his lips pressed even tighter, and his bulbous mouth showing the infliction of small pox from his youth. Round flabby cheeks were specked with open pores from an outbreak of acne, which was not yet known at the time.

"Boy! Get out from the road or we shall trample you with our mighty horses," his chest rose with an unexcused belch, yellow teeth bared with violence. Kohaku on the other hand was sprawled weakly over grouping tree roots with sweat collecting at his brow and lips going chalk white from thirst. His eyelids were held with a tired lividness, yet could he speak or for that matter reply to the girthy man. "My good lord, I am weak here and wounded and shall not yet move, surely you will have sympathies for a dying man?" The man dismounted his horse and drew it closer to the felled taijiya. "Ho, I see. Indeed you are not well, ninja." That overly round belly rolled with laughter. "I'm not a ninja, lord," the young demon slayer put in dejectedly. At least this man was fed quite well, (for his ignorance…) while men like him were left to die in the woods. The other soldiers about him looked untroubled by his predicament. "I was left to die here by the hands of a demon, what say you to that, lord?" Kohaku had never felt such vehemence to a person in his whole life, not even the half demon, Naraku. Not like he felt for his once called "lord." As day broke about them, the clouds receded further for the coming of night. The colored black, white, and speckled horse bodies were illuminated by moonbeams. "I am Hirate Masahide. My men and I have just returned from the skirmish at Kyoto. Those Imagawa idiots did not expect an attack; the stultifying heat had dulled their senses, and they were celebrating their recent victories with song, dance, and sake! Ha, ha, ha!" The demon slayer was not yet sure if he liked this man's laugh, brows hiked up quizzically. "Hirate…Masahide?" choked he. Kohaku had no idea whom this man before him, in the middle of the frozen woods, was. But he seemed to hold himself in supremely high regard. "What? You have never heard of me?" Hirate raised his own brushy brows at the same perplexed mast as the boy had held earlier.

The soldiers had already set up camp and the physician attended the wounded demon slayer with poultices and herbal remedies made into dry paste. White fire pushed its way feverishly with headstrong abandon into the thinness of his veins, eyes blurring to glassy wetness as the pain sent wire hot flashes to the back of his head. Hissing throatily, the young demon slayer could not deny his tolerance was waning. He did not have to worry long before the world dropped into cold blackness.

X

X

"Go on Rin dono, we shall await you here. Hold them, idiot." Inukimi handed the sleeping infants toward Hyoga-Ji. It was all he could do to not look supremely flustered. "Great lady mother! I have no idea how to—hold infants, ara!" His arms a-jumbled and trying to keep thin long fingers around the babes' heads with either arm, his knees were squat buckled under his torso like that of a box bottomed diamond; it was comical at least. "If you wish to continue in the service of my great son, you should do well to keep your clumsiness far about you." Venomously those gold eyes looked his way and caused the fox demon to swallow twice in cowardice. "Of course!" practically he wound up the look in his eyes from somber to determined, though with all the efforts in the world and the gods laughing at his back, what it looked like was that those brows rose up like drawn curtains and the sickle black lines of closed lids turned upwards. Rin could not help but stifle a spit of giggles.

"Rin dono, we will leave you here but fear not, for I have expressed my intentions to the lord of this castle afore and he honors his intentions."

"Honor?"

"Yes, just because I sit in the o-shiro in the clouds, does not mean I do not see to the vastness of my lands. I am a public official, to not do these things would tarnish my late husband's image." Stoutly her nose pointed upwards politely sniffing at having to explain herself. At least Inukimi offered more a more verbal explanation than her lord husband. "I do not know how long they will retain you, but the idiot fox will be here to look after your well being." The great lady mother's eyes averted to give the Ainu a once over, for he knew her words to be true as soon as she had spoken them. In fact, she had not needed to speak at all-

"I suppose then that this is where we should part ways," Rin shuffled forth-Inukimi stood stock still- "Rin dono…" Surely great lady mother ought to have some sympathy for her only son's chosen lady wife, her only progeny or at least from her powerful pureblood husband; she did not even mind it that her children were hanyou, it was she herself whom had delivered Inuyasha to a safe human village after the lady Izayoi's passing. Though human herself and weak, her suffering prolonged by viciousness bought about by men and their corroding jealousy that lurked beneath their soft and fragile hearts; Izayoi did not deserve her the fate she had spent. Not even Inuyasha had deserved his upbringing by peasant farmers; as a mother however, her son had come first to mind. Inuyasha was her stepchild first before he held any importance before Sesshomaru. In the end, she had dearly regretted her decision. The half-breed of her deceased mate had quite the mouth that was in need of correcting.

Inukimi would not allow her grandchildren to suffer the same fate.

Rin unfolded the long sleeves of her itsutsu-ginu and very carefully with a surgeon's weariness, embraced the lady mother. Before she knew what ailed her, her cheeks were wet with unexplained tears. 'Why am I crying for?' "Rin dono, there is no need to shed tears for my sake. We shall part ways but only for a while. And if I should know my own son, he shall return to you." The great dog demoness turned her twin tailed head to the far west and then finally began to unravel the soft cloak of fur from both the collar and hems of her grand robes. "To ensure this that I know be truth, child, allow me to give you this."

Awaiting the moment when she would receive, Rin stared wide eyed, with Hyoga-Ji trying to see over her shoulder for a view of what it was that the women were exchanging between them. "Meidou? You are giving this to me? But—" Before the pinkness of her lips parted, the great diayokai mother turned away and began her ascent heaven words. Standing breathless, Rin never grew worn of the beauty in the way the fur would expand and like the soft wool of sheep, expanded to create a cloud beneath her unseen feet to float upon. "Fare thee well, Rin dono~." Hyoga-Ji rumbled tersely. His lady had all but forgotten about him! Bouncing a gurgling Kuromaru in one arm and dodging the death glare of Kagura chan in the other, the poor fox demon lamented his predicament; a slow and almost selfish whining: 'Lord Sesshomaru and great lady mother have forgotten of this one!"

X

X

Sesshomaru turned up towards the great crag rock. The mountain was worn by the bluster of the sea and stood far beyond the rolling hills that were now charred black from the madness that once burned here. He could still smell the smoke of the Great Fire of Meireki fires from here. "Hinezumi, I can smell them from here." The dog lord continued along the mount side. Crag rocks were burnt with the color of soot and ash grains, where not a flower, leaf, nor tree bloomed. Everything in its wake smelled of sulfur and heat. Underneath the soles of his boots, Sesshomaru could still feel the kindling heat that the earth's soil had yet to release. Clearing paths of broken bodies and dried husk of once living samurai, some of the charred bodies were dressed far more anciently than others; this was only meant to prove that they had died long before and it wasn't during the great Meireki burnings.

When his footing had cleared the black winding path behind him, the dog lord stared in awe. He had come here many times as a child with his great father…but still, this was nothing compared to seeing it from the last time you've had the honors.

Red. It was the color of holi or the gleam of white-hot sunspots falling to the earth, catching it in your fingertips and rolling the beads of light between your claw tips. The scent of such a place smelled of the warm hearths, of boiling stoves made to warm the home…or burning incense and spices before the season of Chrysanthemum. Each terrace was carefully linked and bridged to the other, mounting zigzagging stairwells that connected and crossed like small bridge ladders to a separate handing terrace of its own. Eggshell white floors made of bamboo left to bask in the dry sun and bleached a bone color made the walkways one stood on; and each tier was filled with bursting blooms of flowers.

Every specie and heavenly scent unnamed, their buds dripping heavily with amber nectar and their dusky translucent petals reflected the red moonlight. The flowers themselves all colored some shade of red; from plum to crimson while oil lamps and red paper lanterns glowed ominously. Floating on air like a celestial river. When you looked up, all you could see was the blackness of the sky and clouds heavy and warm. Stars and nebulas all very distant shimmered in eerie colors, some the human mind could not grasp. If you stared too long, your mind would unhinge, tear at the seams like fraying tatami mat…you did not have to be a demon to understand its unnaturalness. The more you tried to understand the more your mind would become numb. It was all refractions of light and starry dust powder, where a great wall of stairs led up and up on forever until you saw the great bowed head of a demon and the glow of red eyes.

He was simply too majestic and great to conceive. Like the honorable late dog lord, so too did this lord stood above the rest. So big was he that he dwarfed the height of his own o-shiro, the fiery Mii-Dera. Along the pathways walked bald monks, their eyes shut closed as they traversed and made prayers through blindness. Their robes pure red and beads of subjugation had rung their throats. Sesshomaru said nothing as he quietly passed them, for they were not ordinary-no demon lord would employ mere mortals to exist in a realm beyond their comprehensions to serve them, these were warrior monks of Enriyaku-Ji, but truly they were humans who had become so inconsolably outraged, that they became much like their lord monk, Tesso; transformed into rat yokai because they were not diligent enough in monkhood. They then migrated here to Mii-Dera, deep in the heart of Edo to serve under the great rat lord of the Hinezumi.

If you so much as uttered a sound amongst their ranks whilst they walked in blind meditation-they could, and would kill you. Despite their rank of the demon hierarchy, there were far too many patrolling these quarters; it would defeat the peaceful purpose of coming here, anyways.

Tesso, however, had had the untimely misfortune of deserting his subjects. That last Sesshomaru had heard had been slain by Inuyasha some years ago. Sesshomaru only hoped that the one, whom he sought to visit, would spare his fury and allow him council in the wake of his idiotically rash brother's transgressions. The Diayokai did not have to wait long. Finally after walking the overly excessive amount of stairs, did Sesshomaru reach the top. He did not show the slightest phase of fatigue.

"Lord Sesshomaru sama." A loud voice boomed, it was the size of a great mountain. The head seemed smaller up there, only for the great beast to bend himself lower to better have him a look. Blazing red, the fur of the fire rat smoked with a ready-kindled heat. Ember flecks rolled off the demon's great golden mane, with a long pointed snout and sharply indented nose. Whiskers stuck out like fine knife blades, their tips gleaming gold like splendid Chinese daggers. From the neck up down to the breasts, the demon held a ringed pelt of gold that seemed to expand and breath as if it held a life on its own, such fur mantle pieces were prominent on his great flanks and wrists too. It would seem that dog demons were not the only of their demonic kin who acquired mokomokos of power.

Wild eyeballs were the size of an oni demon's belly, flitting about excitedly with their moon shaped golden pupils. Cracking open it's mouth, saliva and wetness that could only be described as lava-hot snapped out in strings and dried around the angularly sharp face it had. Lastly, a red stripe to each cheek swept extremely close beneath his eyelids.

"Inu no Taisho, Sesshomaru sama. That be ye?"

"Yes, this Sesshomaru has come out of great urgencies. And in respect of chichi-ue."

"I see. I will honor our pact, ye dog general, though what have you to be residing in the lands of the Hinezumi clan?" fire breathed from a snort of the nostrils, the slits flared wildly, inhaling the demon lord's scent, the nose was as big as two hands and white hot molten-ness oozed down like fiery mucus.

"Kubira no Taisho, this Sesshomaru asks of you great pardons on behalf of Tesso dono. He also seeks this one's council for a favor."

Every sound seemingly went dead, the fires lighting the entire shiro were smote and the grounds became dark. It seemed as if the world had held in baited breath, sucking in all earthly joys and all sorrow to await its fate. "Tesso was a fool. He deserved to be dispatched. Mention not his name in thoust presence." Giving a guttural rumble, the demon spewed a wash of flame that relit the o-shiro and it's great estate. The warrior monks had paused, frozen mid-step in their meditations. When the lights were rekindled, they became animate again.

"Inu no Taisho, Sesshomaru sama…what is it that you seeketh mine council?"

"Kubira no Taisho. Lord Konpira Daigongen sama."

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**Author's notes: **I've always wished they'd show in the anime or at least the manga, the legendary demon rat who created the robe of the fire rat. I figured he too would be a powerful demon or diayokai himself, and not an ally nor an enemy. Going by the fact that some of the characters sport clothes of mainland influence, it was only natural to incorporate other deities, demons, and terms for the mainland country. I plan on having Malaysian, Chinese, Korean, and Thai demons to appear in this fic. If anyone remembers the rat demon Tesso from Inuyasha episode 91. The episode actually goes off of tangent, as the real Tesso from myth was actually a monk named Raigo who killed himself by starving to death and came back as a demon.

My mention of the Meireki fire is also off tangent. The story is being put together with inaccuracy, as you will see later. But I do have my reasons, and this is all part of the plot!

The Great Fire of Meireki, also known as the Furisode Fire, destroyed 60-70% of the Japanese capital city of Edo (now Tokyo) on March 2, 1657; this is the third year of the Meireki Imperial era. It lasted for three days, and is estimated to have claimed over 100,000 lives. Inuyasha takes place during the Sengoku period or Warring States period in Japanese history; and was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century.

Inuyasha was born 1294-96? where as he must have been around from late Heian period (judging by lady Izayoi's dress style) which was from 794 – 1185. The Kamakura period being from 1185 – 1333. The Sengoku period didn't start till 1467 lasting till 1573.

However, the main plot that revolves around Rin and Sesshomaru and Kohaku didn't happen till 1603 – 1868. So if anything should seem odd and stick out to you, don't be afraid, lol.

Also, Hinezumi means fire rat. Kubira no Taisho means lord of the rats or great rat general. Like Inupapa (Touga as mentioned from movie 3). His name is derived from the deity and shrine that shares his name: "Konpira-san" or "Konpira Daigongen" and claim his cult dates back centuries before the introduction of Buddhism to Japan. He is depicted as the yellow; armed with vajra; rat; leader of the twelve generals; also known as the Shinto deity Konpira (Kompira). Konpira's Buddhist counterpart is Kubira, the leader of Yakushi Buddha's Twelve Heavenly Generals (Jūni Shinshō), and also one of the Sixteen Protectors of Shaka Nyorai (the first Buddha). In this fanfic he is the great demon rat lord and leader of the Hinezumi. I will explain how he and Inupapa met. He and Hyoga-Ji as well as Sesshmom (great lady mother/Inukimi/Inukami) will be greatly impacting the plot.


	4. The Path of Supreme Conquest

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha in any ways shape or form. Enjoy.

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WALKING THE PATH OF SUPREME CONQUEST

Mokomoko billowed along the current, expanding, fluttering; the white fur whipped along his shoulder blades beneath the quiet air. Konpira Daigogen turned around to face Sesshomaru with equal interest. "I seem to remember your father coming here for a similar favor in particular, master. Is it not the same inquiry you have come for?" Konpira shook the earth, his claws turned up the earthen plot, which made his wide throne. It was not as ornate as his great lady mother, but it held a simplistic charm of its own. "Yes, I have come for the robe of the fire rat. But first, there is something that this Sesshomaru wishes to discuss." Silence greeted this statement; a crackle of oil heavy lamps snapped the attention back to the dilemma at hand:

"Ye speak of the taijiya, Kohaku was it?"

Narrowing the gleam beyond his golden eyes, Sesshomaru replied nothing. He was very much aware that diayokai such as himself, his father, and mother all held a particular ability for foresight. Premonitions and psychic awareness that placed them above and beyond rank of typical demons. For that much, he was right. "Yes, Kohaku." The discomfort in his stance suggested that on some normal topics of conversation, he did not wish to expose the goings on of his own house; preferring to keep matters private amongst he and his vassals, till properly addressed. Konpira extended great-clawed hands to accept a tray of carefully brewed tea, which was equally shared with Sesshomaru to partake of, sitting across from him. Sesshomaru mildly accepted the hot bowl but did not once drink. "Kohaku is currently now in the hands of humans…" seemingly disconcerted with the human world, Konpira would never have spared the information Sesshomaru sought. But two very strong reasons stood to bar that thoughtless path. Konpira Daigogen voiced them now:

"Currently, the taijiya resides in the Owari Province."

"Owari? That is a ningen province."

"Ah, now I am more than sure ye should be of terrible concern. For your lady wife and your offspring."

Sesshomaru set his mouth to a long line. Not once had he even voiced the turmoil and excitable pattern his thoughts had gone, the lord rat of the Hinezumi was no fool either: "And what if it does, this Sesshomaru has merely come of his own volition. For the robe of the fire rat. I do not see why the pitiless life of a single human and his where about's should hold precedence. He'll be dead by the end of the month." Coming out the words sounded true enough. But the dog lord was worried…more than he should be. But it was Konpira Daigogen who voiced his fears once more again.

"I have heard from the magnolia trees that it was Kohaku who led the attack upon your o-shiro, humans have become fearless it would seem at recent. We cannot simply let this mere mortal slip between our fingers. Especially now he hast fallen into the arms of the Owari."

"Where was he last taken? Where does the boy reside now."

"Nagoya Castle."

Lord Sesshomaru projected a fraction of widened eyes. Nagoya Castle. Owari. He had more class than to utter an explanative but this time made for an exception: "Shit." Konpira sipped the last swamped brew from the tea bowl, downing it to the dregs where his large kemari ball like eyes stared at the strips of strewn tealeaves.

"It is top priority that we retrieve Kohaku from the Owari, for I fear that his previous goal has yet to stray his heart. Reclaim or kill him, we do not care which."

"You believe he would foolishly attack this Sesshomaru, again?"

"I do not believe, Lord Sesshomaru sama. I know."

"Hmph."

"As for the robe," Konpira extracted sharp bladed claws from his finger tips, dragging the iron steel claws through a patch of fur, raking out their red strands and presented them forth. Hot fire snaked out from the open gaped mouth, their red tendrils, lashing and whipping the hairs into fine thread. Braided strands became wrapped in flame, woven and tying together; fluttering and still clinging with supernatural residue that fell off it in motes, their white sudden glow wafted from the sleeves of new fabric.

Sesshomaru felt a swelling pride encompass his chest, it looked far better kept that Inuyasha's, perhaps that it was brand new. "Take these lord Sesshomaru sama, and do not forget to pay your visits occasionally. It gets lonely here." Konpira's great head disappeared amongst the clouds, following Sesshomaru's retreating back. Silver hair flowed on the winds as the dog lord made his descent from Mii-Dera's rocky peaks, going back the ways whence he came. The robe of the fire rat held at arm's length, soon to be tucked into a tiny opening in his cuirass. Booted feet smoked, then cooled the further he walked and made distance from the

Castle-shrine.

"Kohaku, I will find you. I should have not yet allowed you to live."

x

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_"Sesshomaru," the young face poked out behind the solid wall of force that was his chichi-ue overlooked the great late general's shoulder. "Yes honorable father?" Touga turned and reached into the ties and pulls of his armor, a red clothe that hissed with heat as if forever burning drew from an extended hand. The color was red as newly let blood. "What is that father?" A young Sesshomaru made face that was perplexed as to the cloth's general purpose; aside being warm. "It is a gift." The benevolent demon rumbled, white ponytail rose and fell to the sweet breezes and heady scent of musky red flowers. "-For that mortal girl." Added Sesshomaru, with plain disrespect lacing his voice._

"_You do not approve?"_

"_It is what it is, chichi-ue. This Sesshomaru did not mean to offend."_

"_Indeed."_

_The Inu no Taisho fell from the entangled brush of trees and leaf foliage colored black by late Indian summer, to the ground below. Booted feet silently shushed where he landed. Sesshomaru quietly looked on as his father stalked across an open meadow towards that which seemed to be a human woman._

"_Mother, do you hate the lady Izayoi for the attentions father has seen in her?"_

"_She is only human, Sesshomaru."_

"_That does not change the fact. She is a mere mortal that chichi-ue has become smitten with."_

"_She will die soon, their tryst is fleeting."_

"_That does not answer my question."_

"_I do not….dislike her."_

_Sesshomaru had dwelled and mauled over his conversation with Inukimi earlier that day. It felt proper to ask, after all any woman would grow bitter and close-minded to the affront her husband had caused her. It was not dishonorable, many lords on occasion took as many wives, mistresses, and concubines as they pleased and where it pleased them. Inukimi did not seem to begrudge Izayoi as much as he had. And she was right; the lady Izayoi was only human. Her life fleeting as given time to blink, nothing more. But to look at her was a whole other thing in and of itself._

_This human-she was lovely, more so than the others; he could say that now as he recalled the lady Kikyo to this present day…but in her own, demure way. Softened features in her face held a sweet roundness and drawn down chin that lay slightly pointed and heart shaped. Watching with those molten colored eyes, father placed the long red robe; as brilliant and un-captured by even the hottest setting sun, draped over the woman's shoulder. _

_Father said something then. _

_The princess had then tittered with laughter, her face flushed. _

_They shared a brief whispered endearment, held one another, together under the dusky midday sky and the shade of heavy peach trees laden with fruit._

_Sesshomaru stared from the cover of knotty branches, obviously not a care to his great father's human suitor. A crack from a snapped twig broke his attentions, eyes careening off into the distance. How long the samurai had been standing there was beyond him, but Sesshomaru was most certain that the man had seen them; not he, but his Chichi-ue and that human woman. Together._

_Deserting the perch on which he sat, Sesshomaru had disappeared before even the birds could cry out._

"_I've realized that I, Sesshomaru, did not dislike her either. Lady Izayoi…"_

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Sesshomaru winded down the frontal slope, towards the forests and off the coasts. He walked for miles, patrolling his lonesome…never minding the missing ward now made his lady wife, the rumbling protests of Ah-Un, nor the sniveling loyalty that was Jaken. The great dog lord clutched the robe of the fire rat at arms length and never in his long decades of life living, did he feel absolutely alone. The cold ice-rain sluiced down the nape of his neck and tugged down the fine white silver of hair, saddened his robes where they clung and frigid and collected soon about his knees in the ruts of the ancient rode. Sesshomaru did not once quiver while wadding up to his chest above muddy water. A dam afar seemed to have broken, thatched huts now nothing but logs and tied roofs of elm and bark floating down a flooded river belly. Snow freshly fallen and frozen for days claimed the banks upwards; Mii-Dera's heat did not travel this far enough to melt it, thus the once-village was nothing more but a city lake now.

This damnable goat track had not likely been used since they hauled in the stones and wood to build it. Tucked into the frigid misty, and folded valley before him. Sesshomaru kept along the worn roads and past the southern gates, leaving Konpira Daigogen's lonely realm. It was not yet a fortnight before he felt as if he were being followed. Eyes at the narrow, not even the divine kamis could not make him take one more step:

"This Sesshomaru is well aware that you intend to follow him. It has yet been a twelvemonth where I've tolerated your presence."

The night lay silent, before the shuffle of something in the woods ducked in the shadows. Lifting his nose to the wind, Sesshomaru scented the winds…a yokai? No. A half demon…but that was not yet right either. He had no time to wait and pause on his journey to the o-shiro in the clouds-whomever it was would be left to their own devices. Sesshomaru took one step before the figure bolted the clearing! Fingers flexed and the lashing loop of fiery green whip snaked out. The shady being was latched around the ankle and thrown back to the ground with none too gentle kindness:

"Tch tch tch, oooow brother! I was not yet in your ways and not yet sure at all anyone to be traveling this particular road with night coming! A three-year civil strife and a sevendays deluge keep folks at their hearths-eh"

There, on his rump sat a small dog boy. Neither half demon nor full yokai, but Sesshomaru did not mistake the stench. The boy wore Chinese-inspired robes; simple red phoenix plumes and red flowers adorned the sleeve edges. A hitatare so butchered, that Sesshomaru could not tell if it were that or a kariginu (typical of the hunting garments worn during the Heian period), only it was a white in color, with a string to tie at the breast. Simple white sashinuki hakama or nu-bakama leggings were adorned with simple golden strips in that of a braided rope pattern. The boy has a simple Do in blood red color and matching Kusazuri faulds on the hips. A black sash of twelve-foot length came around the armor on his waist and then elaborately curtained to his thighs. There were no swords there.

His face was quite sharp and he had possessed the color of gold eyes, but was ringed with tepid red color. The sharpness of his pupils were white and gave the lad a very unnerving appearance. Some form of crude dagger sheared short choppy white hair-or it looked that way; cropped to his pointed ears. Black brows were very thick and knotted comically to make him seem angry as if the expression never changed. His cheekbones were marked by a wavy ~ line of red, one to each side. Lids lined in gold. Sesshomaru did not miss the small weak mokomokos on the boy's hips that came up and wrapped around from the back of his neck and collared his shoulders. Though, it was very much peculiar in a ways, for it was also wrapped brilliantly with wild red feathers, that came down and curled "S" like behind him.

Drifting those eyes down to the heels, where boots of sharp red shook and made the lad's knees also prominently rattle. "You are standing in my way boy." Sesshomaru made to move around the small youth, who appeared no more than ten years; in kind, the child bolted up and blocked his path. Sword in hand. The dog lord raised a brow politely, what could this pup do?

"Brother! Take me with you! I have wandered this country side alone-do me the honors of allowing me to follow you, for surely you'd understand this one's plight!" Before Sesshomaru could curtail himself, the words had slipped:

"I do not allow children, especially half breeds I've met along the road to accompany me."

"I am not a half breed!"

"Ho? This Sesshomaru smells you to be human, what say you boy?"

"I'm not a half demon! I'm a diahanyou and my name is Suzakumaru!"

"Diahanyou?" Sesshomaru arched a brow inwardly but projected a blanched expression that really meant he was anything less than intrigued. "Hai, a diahanyou is the offspring of a demon sire and a half demon mate, diahanyou are in a class all their own!" Sesshomaru had only heard of there being very few diahanyou; mayhaps twenty to say the least-though he had never come to meet one. Its smell was neither, something entirely unique to his senses, and one that seemed to bother him only marginally. Not as powerful as their pureblood sires, but not as weak as their half-blooded parent.

"…"

"Please! Allow me to accompany you, lord brother!"

"We are not related."

"That doesn't change the fact! Just help me!"

"What do you want of this Sesshomaru, diahanyou?"

The boy clutched the blade in hand and narrowed his eyes with a stern determination that heavily reminded him of Inuyasha. "I want you to take me to lord Toutousai dono, so I can take the Kitei no Tsurugi to him. It was the sword of my late honorable father, Suzaku sama."

"Suzaku sama?"

"Yes! You know of him."

"I was never fond of him. Why should I take you to Toutousai? Further more, how do you know of him."

"Father told me to go to the sword's smith Toutousai, I have never met him. He gave me this sword before the Owari murdered him. My haha-ue too…"

Sesshomaru did not like where this seemed to be going. Kohaku was currently holding up in Owari, also, Konpira Daigogen seemed to be severely concerned with that distinct province. "Boy, tell this Sesshomaru what happened in this village. Was it destroyed some time ago? By the Owari?" the last few words slipped with caution. He needed answers. "Yes. The soldiers of the Owari province came here united under one banner. They came with cannons and guns and arrows of fire. They stormed the castles to the northern mountains, the eastern sea, and the Hokkaido region. They even came here into the north western territories, raiding castles-both yokai and human." 

"I see. And what do you know of these Owari?"

Suzaku bit is lip and clutched the black scabbard protectively. "I know nothing, only that they seek to destroy all demons and humans who stand against them. Those they can kill without issue fall to their marching armies. They unite under a single banner for the unification of Japan." The boy was breathing plenty and harshly, bowled over with breath, finally coming to an erect stand, his spine straight. "My chichi-ue was the phoenix demon Suzaku sama, my haha-ue was Fuchiyumi of Han, a half dog demon. I am the seventh inherent son of the Kitei no Tsurugi, but I know not yet if I am strong enough to raise its blade against my foes. I seek Toutousai. For my father…for revenge. That is why I shall walk the path of supreme conquest to bring justice."

**I walk the path of supreme conquest. And it is power, that shall reveal the way for me.**

"Supreme…conquest."

Sesshomaru turned and walked away, the boy reminded he too much of those younger; lost days, and was now too far away and down the beaten path, though begrudgingly he allowed Suzakumaru to follow. The boy, no taller than to his hip, stalked almost too closely in his footsteps along the way. "Which ways are we headed, lord brother?"

"I've already said that I am of no relation to you."

"You don't want a brother?"

"I already have one."

"Do you like your brother?"

"…"

"I'll be a good brother, I promise."

"I have no time for this."

"Lord brother, do you also walk the path of supreme conquest? If so, it would be my honor to walk that path along side you!"

"Why do you seek power so much?"

"Is it not proper that we demons should seek that path? Would it not reveal the ways to our true life's intent?"

"Must a child be so talkative?"

"I suppose not. But say, Lord brother, why do you travel this road? What is it that you journey for?"

Sesshomaru stalked the moonlit forests silently; he had not berated the boy for his talkative mouth. In hours he had the lad somehow gone from chattering aimlessly at his side, to wrap up in the throws of mokomoko; he was asleep. "….hn." The night sky expanded a road of sleep and distant stars; mokomokos unwrapped in a curling smoke red mass beyond him, on forever. "This Sesshomaru is journeying to protect what is his, boy. As my sun is burning, red and hot, somewhere in this world, truth is frozen and sleeping. With these hands, I discover it within love and sorrow. Even now that these hands have someone to protect, and now you-half breed. Tch. How long have I been touching it?" The sleeping lad snored in response. Too lost in dreams to have an answer.

"In order for me to be me, I will continue to melt the darkness...Kohaku will pay dearly for his injustice and so will the Owari pay for their crimes. I already have walked the path of supreme conquest, but I now hold a different weapon for battle. What I hold within this heart…is justice..."


	5. Plot And Kohaku's Burning Ambition

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha in any ways shape or form. Enjoy.

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PLOT AND KOHAKU'S BURNING AMBITION

Damp sunlight was streaming in, but the crack of the shogi screen was the fault to waken him. "She" came every mid-evening to dress his wounds and lay in his bed. She was no servant, no wife of his, but a lady of importance. Whispering voice softly laced behind the rice paper screens; an infatuation developed from the handsome mortally wounded demon slayer they had taken in on whim: "Kohaku dono?" shushing sounds as the screen was pressed down on wooden tracks, her pale arm motioned from beyond it's clever mask. "Kohaku dono, are you awake?" Carefully the woman awaited in a held of breath, there was no answer so she crept in, sliding the door behind her. On hands and knees, the shuffle of her silks scuttled along the wooden flooring till she was practically a hair's breathe between him. The man had a defined mouth, broad yet the flesh was firm and willing for kiss. Muscles and hardened skin burned a color that talked tan and many days under the harsh sun in Edo. His jaws were strong, squared with defined cheekbones filled from working the mouth in thought-hands calloused from holding perhaps his weapons of demon slaying and black hair. The darkest most rich black hair, that curled wild and waving.

"You are so beautiful." She breathed, parting the folds of her obi and pulling open the fabric. Her softly deft fingers undid him too, eyes drinking in the strong chest and a man's scars. Naked, she brung her hips to bare down against his, a soft pert nipple rubbed along under his rib cage; infatuated. "Lord Kohaku dono, we may rest like this, till you take me. I am content with this for now." Mouth barely breathing against his, holding quiet vigil with him as he slept, as is every night. He owed her, she whom had kept his bed and body warm, and dressed his wounds, and delivered his meals; suddenly when her lips came to skim against the sleeping man, those brown eyes snapped open!

"Lady wife, you soil the bed and name of your honorable husband!" Kohaku threw back the bedding of the futon and pulled his robes over to cover his half-nakedness. The lady wife of the house did not seem to hold the same modesty, she stood and glided to the vanity table, applying lip paint and adding black to her teeth. "Kohaku dono, that is no way to speak to me, with the time that we have shared." Eyes a glint and staring at him in a way a snake and mongoose looked each other face to face before battle.

"Go back whence you came. I do not need your help."

"Oooh?" She brushed the white powder along her cheeks and smiled. "My honorable lord husband has granted you stay in Owari and you deny him his aid? After I so selfishly brought you back from the brink of death and fever."

"You speak ridiculous notions."

"You are so cold hearted, Kohaku dono. I do not know of you, but I am but a lonely wife. My lord husband has taken a concubine, Kitsuno. She is the one who bore him his first son, Nobutada…where I could not. I do not begrudge the child, but it is not fair that he would abandon me-there is no love for me in this house."

Kohaku reflexively withdrew and became silent, he remembered the first day he had come here under the aid of Hirate Masahide. He was nearly dying from the reopened wounds that Tenseiga had no closed, but every night this woman had come to attend to him. And his lord whom he had met that one day had a proposition for him, one that he would not chillingly forget….

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"_Kohaku dono, please have a seat. I welcome you to Nagoya Castle, in the province of Owari. This is my royal retainer, Hirate Masahide, I am sure you both have had the pleasure of already meeting. This here is my wife, Nohime of Mino. Please show your respects." The man behind the screen silhouetted with little light. He did not seem to be made out, but dressed as a daimyo. Kohaku was observing the hush of servants bowed at the hands and knees, their robes a distinct color of the house. "This here is Motoyasu, but he has changed his name so much that one is simply to refer him as Tokugawa Ieyasu. And his vassals: Honda Tadakatsu, Ishikawa Kazumasa, Koriki Kiyonaga, Hattori Hanzō, Sakai Tadatsugu, and Sakakibara Yasumasa. Now, your name is?"_

"_Kohaku."_

_The taijiya sat there and behind the blank resolve he felt something familiar from this hidden figure, and swallowed. This impure demon jyaki, it exuded and suffocated him. In fact, it choked the air with its stench. He felt as if he knew it from some where before; belly heaved at the familiarity. Kohaku did not mean to be so bold, but before he could ask, the man behind the screen spoke._

"_If you were wondering, yes, I happen to be a demon."_

"…_."_

_That had confirmed Kohaku's worst fears. But something was not right, he was hidden behind half a gauze of jyaki, it was not fully potent as the foreboding feeling of other jyaki, as felt by Sesshomaru-or…_

"_Kohaku dono, is there something you would like to ask?" Brow breaking into a cold sweat, his nails bunched up the hem of fabrics to his robes and armored leggings, looking to the left and right of him, all the servants seemed unbothered by this revelation. Having not answered for a long moment, the figure coughed beyond the screen and finally lifted the veil to expose himself._

_A beard played along his strong and very tautly boned features. Eyes boring into his own with madness-red eyes. Who was this man? He felt so distinctly familiar, like he touched and caressed him with his evil. He smelled of miasma. _

"_Naraku!"_

"_Do not confuse me with that discarded waste of a half breed, I am far superior to that wretch. I don't need the sacred jewel to grant my wish, I will simply take what is mine, even by force."_

"_Then you must be one of his incarnations."_

"_Associate with my what you will, Kohaku dono. But I am not like Naraku. Whereas he came, born out of Onigumo's heart came jealousy and despair. And out of his soul and vileness came Viciousness and greed. I am that part of Onigumo, that was true to himself. I only ask that you join my side in the unification of all japan. I saw what you did in the western shiro near Edo, allow me to give my thanks, one less demon strong hold to stand in my ways."_

"_I did not do it for you."_

"_Oooh? Then pray tell what for, Kohaku dono." Those beady little red eyes slid down and watched the young man keenly. The darkness in his heart was still there. "I did it because I love Rin dono, not for the sake of helping the Owari, that they when they attacked, I'm sure of it that Masahide dono had mistaken them for Imagawa soldiers when that was not the case. You only helped me in my endeavors." Silence stretched between them. "Rin dono? Is that your lover?" Kohaku rose up to a stand in defiance. "She held her heart captured by a demon, I only sought her hand and had everything I wished taken from me, if you cannot help me exact my revenge and regain my honor, then what use are you?"_

_The man stroked his mustache briefly. "Kohaku dono, I don't think you understand my intent. I plan to unify japan together. Where demons will be no more, and half-breeds and humans can come together and coexist in tranquility. This will be a new world order once I have conquered it. And then, when I have claimed everything, you may have whatever it is you wish. Join my side under the Owari, and I can give you everything you may want or need, even this Rin you speak of."_

"_I—I-you promise? You mean to keep your word?"_

"_Only if you change your name and wipe the face of the one known as Kohaku. I will give you men, an army, and a province of your very own. You will have rank and prestige-you scratch my back and I shall scratch yours."_

"_What is it that you require my lord?"_

"_Bring to me the Kitei no Tsurugi, The Sword of The Demon King. And the Meidou stone jewel. Bring these two items for me and you may have what ever it is that you wish."_

_Kohaku did not know why, but he held hope! This man had everything he could ask for, he believed in him. He yet not knew why, but this man seemed a born leader, compassionate in his ambitions just as he was. Kohaku knew that the man would keep his word, and soon he would be with his beloved Rin and lord Sesshomaru would be out of his way. "Thank you my lord, I will do my best to serve you."_

"_Good. Go north west first, and reclaim the Meidou-"_

"_I already know where it is."_

"_Oh?"_

"_Yes my lord, give me an army and men and I shall lead them in this night to reclaim the jewel stone. It is in a castle you may have over looked, lord. A demon's castle in the clouds." A small smirk slowly tugged at the lord's lips, beady red eyes glowed brightly. "I knew I could count on you, Kohaku dono. Now make haste."_

"_Yes my lord, but may I ask, to whom it is that I have a pleasure of serving?"_

"_I am Nobunaga. Lord Oda Nobunaga of Owari."_

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(Note, there is actually a song that plays, Sesshomaru's mother's theme of obtaining the Meidou stone. It can be heard here: .3)

Hooves thundered fiercely up the hill, stones and crag rock fell. Clutched in the dirty back hands, clutched the stone of the sacred path to his breast, the man and an army of seventy armed men rode to the great west. Clouds and mist shrouded their ways. Hirate Masahide urged the men and their horses on, following alongside their leader lord. "Tonight we reclaim the west!" Cheers and roaring jeers of conquest echoed the mountainside. Demons and spirits sleeping in the forests stopped to listen as the hammering of hooves fresh from the anvils and ready for war, and the sound of guns ripped the air. "FOR OWARI! FOR NOBUNAGA!" lashing their reins harder the horses climbed the hillside, their leader in red armor raised the flags of Owari higher. They were storming the castle in the clouds and had the means to get there.

The man held up the heavy medallion of the sacred path, a simple iron black jewel that rocked on a simple chain and opened a path of light. Glaring like the light of the beaming moon, a bridge of light floated ghastly like in the air and the parade of warriors rode over it. That moon faintly lurking and floating in the blue sky, "You ready guys?" The men roared with enthusiasm, their blood hot and ready for battle.

"Lord Hide Yoshi, we are almost there." Masahide exclaimed, a hand above his brow as they parted the clouds and the great stairs to the o-shiro above. But something lay not right, it was quiet. The soldiers dismounted their horses and charged up the stairs, pikes and halberds, spears and swords at the ready. Tucking the stone of the sacred path in the folds of his robes, Hide Yoshi set an arm to stay the men. Slowly ascended the steps that were familiar to him and he alone. At the very top, Inukimi sat upon her red throne seemingly unguarded, her expression alone was minutely amused. As if she had merely been awaiting this day.

"My lord, so kind of you as to keep me awaiting this meeting. You are most certainly lacking in manners-I appreciate punctuality."

"Great lady mother, you honor me by allowing me this council. But I have come under the orders of lord Nobunaga of Owari."

"Ah, is that what he calls himself now," the demoness made a bland look, her painted nails gently curving along the cheek. "Da, I have no quarrels with him. Nor do I care for the uprising of foolish wannabe daimyous." Blades were threateningly thrust up towards her that the demoness bitch dared insult their leader; Hideyoshi bought a hand up to stay them. "Hold, lower your weapons you fools." Inukimi smiled and leaned back into her throne, her smug smile resumed with pleasure. "The Meidou-seki. Hand it over, do so and we shall spare you," the red samurai addressed. But lady mother pouted and looked away almost with heavy nonchalance. "Mah, I have no idea where that small trinket is, I think I may have lost it, kozo…"

Turning a ruddy red color in the face, the soldier sneered and put his hands down, the soldiers marched a step forth. Her bangs down to mask her eyes, the heated rise of jyaki raised the fall of silver hair; stretched the markings went jagged across her cheeks.

"You dare raise your blade against me ungrateful child?" though her ire did not last long, hair swept back down at her shoulders and legs crossed almost indifferently towards her guests. "You are a foolish child, I knew you would come here. As if I would leave the Meidou no Seki without having someone to guard it. I have no idea why you've come here."

"The Meidou is not here…?"

"No, baka. I left it in the protection of my son, foolish boy. He would guard it without not yet knowing; while you came here I simply made the arrangements to forewarn him of Owari and their intentions. I also know that you are seeking the Kitei no Tsurugi…you went dumbly and blindly looking for it without seeing. Suzaku sama died but he did not die in vain. Do not believe that we demons are foolish not to have foreseen any of this. Right now, I have put into place all the necessary means that they two items you seek are far beyond your reach; where your precious lord Nobunaga shall never chance to find. Good luck with that."

"You know of Nobunaga?" Masahide bellowed and upheld his blade. "Damn the demon whore! I say we kill her now and find the Meidou and the Kitei no Tsurugi! Damn her demon tricks, we kill two birds with one stone-Hideyoshi sama!" Masahide was blubbering purple in outrage. They had spent nearly three days riding here and for nothing, only to be tricked!

"—Yes," Inukimi ignored the other men as well as the loud and boastful Masahide. She looked to their leader and offered a sweetly laced yet poisonous smile. "Hideyoshi dono…I didn't think you would survive after the attack in Edo. Much less at this time of year, are your ambitions so great that you would side with a foolish hanyou like Oda Nobunaga-I mean, Naraku? You died. Again. I did not expect my son to hold such compassions for a mere human."

"You talk much."

"You know little."

"Such one can expect from the great lady mother. But your plan will fail, and lord Oda shall unify Japan under a single banner. Then I will have everything. I did die, but you claimed that the Tenseiga could only bring someone back to life once." Brow eyes swam and leered indecisively towards the dog demoness. Now he could see why she was a diayokai in her own right. She was a protective woman, of her son, her daughter in law, and her grandchildren. She was no fool. She had purposely given the Meidou away-to someone unsuspecting, someone who would not know to be involved in political strife-where it would be guarded by her son. Sesshomaru. Inukimi watched as the thoughts passed Hideyoshi's face, how his brows leveled in thought; she interrupted him: "Yes, I may have lied about that. But it was only to frighten my son into feeling human compassion. Which is not something I care for—but is which I lack. And I am far too old to start caring now." She tittered with laughter behind her sleeves: ku ku ku ku~.

"Now, don't you feel the fool for coming here? Leave my castle you undeserving wretches. Impervious jackals that you are, I should slay you all, but my dignity is too great and giving you death would be most kind. Leave and never return."

"….not without the Meidou seki and the whereabouts of the Kitei no Tsurugi."

"Do you challenge this one? Toyotomi Hideyoshi? Or should I say-Kohaku dono."

X

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"_Suzakumaru"_

"_Yes father?"_

"_Go to the far reaches in the west, and take the Kitei no Tsurugi to Toutousai dono. You are not yet strong enough to wield it…and I am yet dying."_

"_Lord father!-"_

"_Do not argue with me, boy. The Owari are amassing a force to reunify japan under one banner. And they will go to whatever cause to do so, I heard a hanyou leads them to this path of our destruction. They must not find the Kitei no Tsurugi. Or we shall all perish. Take the Kitei to Toutousai dono. I have already sent word to Inukimi sama, the great lady mother in the clouds…she will know what to do. We must not allow the Kitei no Tsurugi or the Meidou to ever meet. Or Oda will surely win."_

"_But lord father, I have no idea where to go-or what to do!"_

"_Follow the path north. The Kitei no Tsurugi will guide you, for if my wings become damaged, I turn this heart into steel…"_

_Suzakumaru gripped the black scabbard. The Kitei no Tsurugi, forged neither from a claw nor fang, but from the wound of an imbedded spear thrust into his father's heart._

"_I shall go lord father, I shall avenge you."_

"_Know this my son. Oda does not yet know everything he should of the Kitei and never will. Only I myself, Toutousai dono, and Inukimi sama hold the vital information-which I cannot pass onto you, for fear that if you are compromised, our plan may yet fall to ruin. Please. Go."_

"_Yes lord father."_

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They landed into an open clearing, Suzakumaru dismounted and had a good look around: "Lord brother, this is a human village." A snort showed that the boy had yet again to state the obvious. "Come, Suzakumaru." Sesshomaru released the white fur's hold on the youth so he could travel behind him. They came into the clearing, and stopped. The snow was cooler here, but the grass was yet to be covered. Sesshomaru stalked towards a human castle that lay not too far from the open meadow. Once in the clear, he noticed a woman, her many robes shuffled as she chased after two small children; they padded excitedly towards him. Gurgled and cooed in their long robes. No more appearing than a one or two year old human child…Sesshomaru had forgotten that they would age quicker than the norm, then regress into a slow and long immortal coil.

"Young master, Kuromaru! Princess Kagura chan! I cannot yet keep up with you," the familiar face of the Ainu piped, accompanied him was Rin who quickly shuffled up. Both heads raised and their expressions ranged from shock to awe, to eyes filled with tears.

"Lord Sesshomaru sama!" Both came into a run, and fawned him with expressions of relief and worry. Rin tugged at the holds of his pauldron and checked the arms and wrists, clearly fussed. Hyoga-Ji even bowed a number of times, growing emotional with tears; a booger plain to see dribbling from a left nostril. All the company seemed to have forgotten of the boy whom stood behind their lord, his mokomoko held by the hands as an act of reverence to the great diayokai:

"Ah! Stay back human wench, you dare to favor lord brother with your soiled hands!"

"Lord brother?" Both Rin and Hyoga-Ji blinked and then looked to one another almost as confused as the wide-eyed children tugging at Sesshomaru's pant's leg. "Otou-san, Otou-san." They wailed for his attentions. Sesshomaru offered them a glance down. Kuromaru and Kagura stared back, drool cornered their mouths and tiny baby milk teeth showed from their gums. It took him a moment to study and smell his pups, these were his. The great dog lord kneeled and placed both palms on either child's head, which both purred throatily at the lavished attention. The twins differed considerably:

Kagura was very much like his mother. Dainty thin stripes of purple, not magenta decored her fine baby cheeks. Red lined eyes and thick lashes were very, very black. Her hair was a softly mused blue-white and came to cup around her chin in a very cute fashion. Though the front of her long thick bangs were parted in the middle in a princess style, favorable of the times. Her mouth had the look of being painted and the sides of her face seemed colored by rouge, but that was perhaps the demon blood acting with superior traits. Eyes were wide brown with a bit of gold flecks sitting at the bottom. A simple white fashioned kimono without the long sleeves; blotchy red chrysanthemums, only two down her front made a simple yet lovely royal pattern. She had slightly pointed ears with a tuft of soft fur blending into the bottoms of ear lobes, that Sesshomaru did not seem to mind.

Kuromaru was an entirely different matter. His brows were thin, and eyes were large and gold, though bled to brown near the bottom. Also the same pointed ears with a black tuft of fur bleeding out, lids lined with the same color red and sharply jagged strips, two to each side in encouraging magenta purpled color. His hair was very fine, which Sesshomaru breathed a thankful sigh of…who knew if he had possessed the same rough hair as Inuyasha, which hardly looked kept at all. Choppy bangs got in the way of his face; the color over all was silver-a glossy white that retained the sheen like shards of iron shavings. Though, the eyes would notice the black streaks under toning them but only one to each side.

Yes, fine children. Much handsomer than Inuyasha he concluded. Though affording them only a pat on the head before coming to a rise on both booted feet. Suzakumaru, which all had forgotten had walked ahead and stared down. "Wha-O-o-otou san! Lord brother you didn't tell me you had half breed children!"

"Oi! Baka, do not insult my lord's children with that foul mouth of yours!" Hyoga-Ji growled, his bush tail bristled at the youth's audacity and sheer spunk.

"Who you calling idiot, fox?"

"I call it how I see it!"

Sesshomaru moved past them, for the one he had really come to see. Ah, his dear and beloved lady wife. Inukimi had not failed him, and had did indeed proved to respect chichi-ue's wishes. "You are not hurt?" Carefully he moved arms to enfold her in the downy fur, careful and mindful of the sharpness of those claws. "I am well my lord husband. Haha-ue left me here at this human castle, and left me with this." Sesshomaru inclined his head to Rin's breasts, palming the Meidou stone in hand. "Meidou-seki?" but why? Sesshomaru hid the expression in the faint fog of his thoughts. "Well, none of that matters at this moment. We are reunited, my mother has fulfilled her obligations, and I only hope that she is well." The dog demon lord reached into the firm armored cuirass and withdrew the long robe of the fire rat and carefully extended it to drape over her head. "For you my love." Sesshomaru distanced himself from her briefly to coddle a feisty Kuro who merely wanted to be held. The child in his arms was shifted to the right, only to have Kagura tugging her arm at the hem of pants legs. "Chichi, chi chi! Hold Kagura chan. Kagura chan hold up, chichi." Though she only gargled this now in a very broken form of Japanese, her baby words muddled by the single milk tooth. "Chichi, chichi, up." Rin blushed and leaned down to wrap her arms around that pudgy baby belly, toting the child on her hip with a small smile that was one of blushing girls. "Chichi has been gone long, Ka-chan. I am sure he is tired."

"Don't call me hanyou! I am a diahanyou, Jii-jii!"

"I am not old!"

"Says whom?"

"Lord brother, your servants are impolite heathens-daka!" dazed beyond compare, Suzakumaru groaned, bowled over with his rump in the air and the Kitei no Tsurugi planted between his open mouth. Groaning from being wacked and out of breath, and the bellow of Ah-Un looking sheepishly about; then went off grazing.

"SESSHOMARU SAMA!" Jaken's squawk was prematurely silenced; Sesshomaru's boot planted dead center between the imp's brows. The dog general had too much excitement for one day's time. "Jaken, mind Ah-Un the next time you land." A boot print warped on the face of Jaken's brow, where he looked almost dejectedly at the ground. "I've missed you so, me lord! The o-shiro has been rebuilt back to its formerly luster. All the servants and guards accounted for and we are awaiting your return."

"Hn."

"But may I ask lord, why did you not take Rin to the o-shiro in the clouds? Surely your mother knew better than to leave Rin in a human village."

"Haha-ue has sent me word of Owari attacks. That night Kohaku attacked on his own regard, mother was aware and not foolish to these things. I am sure that is why Suzakumaru has followed me, and why Haha-ue left Rin with the Meidou-seki. She would do things without reason…" Sesshomaru had a mild hunch of a plot. Only two pieces were missing: what were the reasons for his mother to have him silently guard the Meidou-seki and the Kitei no Tsurugi? And second: she had used him, but what was so important in Owari? It was time to return home and formulate a plan-firstly, he would visit Toutousai. Then, he would leave for Owari.

"We leave."

The party all turned and followed; a fox Ainu, an imp, the two-headed dragon, two half-demon children, a human lady wife, and their lord. They left the human village and grounds where they had once all departed and left without regards but had made peace.

Back to the lands of the west.

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**Author's notes:**

Kagura chan is soooooo cute, oh my god. "Chichi!" I just wanna hug her. And yes, Kohaku changed his name to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. If you read up on history, Hideyoshi was born of no traceable samurai lineage, being the son of a peasant-warrior named Yaemon. Which Sango and Kohaku's father is never named. Though the head of the taijiya village, he would have still be considered as a peasant. The true historical figure Hideyoshi was also known to not possess a surname, and his childhood given name was Hiyoshi-maru. Around 1557 he returned to Owari Province and joined the Oda clan, now headed by Oda Nobunaga, as a lowly servant. He became one of Nobunaga's sandal-bearers. Because of his low birth and high nobility, Toyotomi Hideyoshi had quite a few names throughout his life. Which is why I secretly made Kohaku change his name in the story, but he would always be known as Kohaku first.


End file.
